The consortium sees the University of Padua.

Actors involved:
The Consortium consists of 11 founding members, 9 universities and two institutions: University of Padua, University of Verona, University Ca' Foscari of Venice, IUAV of Venice, University of Trento, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, University of Udine, University of Trieste, SISSA of Trieste, the National Research Council (CNR) and the National Institute of Oceanography and Experimental Geophysics OGS. The appointed chairman is Franco Bonollo, lecturer at the Department of Technique and Management of Industrial Systems at the University of Padua. 

NRP Mission 4, Component 2, Investment 1.5 - Creation and strengthening of 'Innovation Ecosystems', building 'territorial R&D leaders' 

• MUR Notice No. 3277 of 30.12.2021 
• Financing: € 109,866,032.00 
• Directorial Decree Granting Funding No. 1058 of 23 June 2022 
• Identification code: ECS000043 
• CUP: D43C22001370006

(PNRR) The consortium is aimed at extending the benefits of digital technologies to the main areas of specialisation in the Triveneto (Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Veneto and the Autonomous Provinces of Trento and Bolzano), thus creating a capillary network in the North-East capable of enhancing digital technologies in the industrial-manufacturing, agriculture, sea, mountains, construction, tourism, culture, health and food sectors. 

The interconnection of local ecosystems at the macro-region level will make it possible to work on a common 'digital vision' for the benefit of the economy and citizens, with local strategies of intelligent specialisation to be united in a shared mission for the North-East. 

The establishment of the iNEST Consortium marks the start of an important initiative for the North-East, which strengthens the existing ties between the territory and the world of public and private research. The North-East is characterised by a plurality of vocations that need to be supported in an integrated vision in order to ensure their fullest expression, and in the nascent ecosystem, the integrating factor is the 'digital thread' that not only binds the themes that characterise the activities of the 9 spokes, but can also play an important role in combating the tendency to fragmentation that often characterises highly polycentric production and social systems. The significant funding of the project by the NRP also rewards the ultra-regional dimension of the initiative, testifying that by moving together we can be more effective in tackling the demanding challenges that await us in implementing the digital transition with a view to economic and environmental sustainability and social impact on the territory.